Means for coupling and automatically releasing building-joists



I (No Model.) H i W. JORDAN MEANS'POR COUPLING AND AUTOMATICALLY RELEASING BUILDING JOISTS. 7 No. 550,075. I Patented Nov. 19, 1895.

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\VILLIAM A.

JORDAN, OF NEII ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

MEANS FOR COUPLING AND AUTOMATICALLY RELEASING BUILDING-JOISTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,075, dated November 19, 1895.

Application filed March 7, 1894. $eria1No. 502,771. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM A. JORDAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Means for Coupling and Automatically Releasing Building-Joists, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the construction of buildings; and it consists in providing means for securing the joists of buildings to the walls thereof in such manner as to insure an automatic release of same whenever, by reason. of fire, overweight, or other cause, they may be injured to such an extent as to be no longer self-sustaining.

The object of the invention is to preserve the walls of buildings and prevent their being broken or thrown down by the falling joists, as is nearly always the case in disasters such as above referred to.

My invention consists mainly in a wallanchor provided at its rear or wall end with a right-angle projection and a return rightangle projection, and at its front end with a hook adapted to engage. a projection at the side of a joist in such manner as to securely hold said joist until same may be severed by fire or other cause, and in such case to permit the dismembered pieces to be automatically released and thus fall clear of the walls and without injury thereto.

My invention will be readily understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, whereon- Figure 1 is an elevation of two buildingwalls with joists connecting same, the said joists being secured in position by means of my improved device. Fig. 2 is a top view or plan of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the walls with my locking device and a broken joist, the two sections of which are represented as in the act of falling. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of my improved wall-anchor, and Fig. 5 a modification of Fig. 4. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are modifications of a side projection to joists for engaging the hooked end of the wall-anchor.

My improved wall-anchor, designated by the letter A, consists of a bar or plate of metal, the rear portion of which is provided carried downward by a severed joist.

with two right-angle projections, as shown at b c. The angle 0 may, however, be extended in an opposite direction to that shown in the drawings, or it may be omitted altogether, without departing from the spirit of my invention; and to permit of the anchors being used in pairs, or at either side of a joist, the first angle Z) may be made to project either to the right or'left, as is shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The front portion of the wall-anchor A is provided with a downward turn, forming a hook d, the inner edge of which is preferably made at right angles to the base of the anchor, while its outer edge is curved, as at e.

The hooked portion of the anchor may be raised from the base-line thereof, as shown at f in Fig. 4, or the hook proper be made to project below the base-line, as at g in Fig. 5, either form being adapted to engage a proj ection at the side of the joist in such manner as to be automatically released therefrom whenever by any reason the said joist may be forced to succumb to the weight thereon, or be injured to such an extent as to be no longer self-sustaining.

The side projections of the joists should be of such form as to be adapted to be engaged by the hook portion of the wall-anchor, and to be automatically released therefrom w hpln e forms of projections best adapted for this purpose are shown in detail in Figs. 6, 7, and 8, that shown in Fig. 6 being in form of a wrought-iron staple with pointed ends it h to permit of its being driven into the side of a joist. Fig. 7 represents a staple or hook receiver made of plate or bar iron, with holes 1' 2" near the ends thereof for the reception of the wood-screws or nails, whereby it is designed to be secured to the side of the joist. Fig. 8 shows an ordinary wood-screw for connecting the joist and anchor i" with a bracket is, for steadying the outer end of the woodscrew.

. In the application of my invention, after the joists have been placed on the walls at requisite distance apart, I arrange my anchors at necessary intervals,wit h the straight side of the anchor next the joist to be secured, with hooks pointed downwardly and projecting a few inches over'the innerside of the b 'acket k, one end of which is provided with an oifset I, having an orifice therein for the reception of the shank or Wood-screw, While the opposite end is provided with a right-angled projection m, to fit a mortise made in the side of the joist, and with perforations for nails or screws whereby it is designed to be secured to the side of the joist.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. As a new article of nlanufactu re, a Wallanchor for securing and automatically releasing building-joists, consisting of a bar of flatiron, havingone end bent edgewise into hook form, and the other end provided with a rightangle projection, the said projection having a return right angle projection, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with a wall-anchor having a hook at one end thereof, a joint provided with a projecting shank, and a bracket for bracing the outer end of the shank, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM A. JORDAN. lVitnesses:

CHAS. M. HERO, JNo. J. WARD. 

